"Oh sorry Rufus, yer right. My mind is on something else. That box canyon is a good place to start."
Rodan says as he gives Sandstone a light kick and heads for the box canyon.
Luke looks you over "Is it something I need to bring to the boss? I tend to handle most issues around here."
Roden has little Luck, but Kris chases out a cow hearing them back to the others, Rufus adds a second cow and of all people Lord Borak, after call upon the sky for aid, finds another cow and herds them back. Three cow is not a bad bit of work.
While on the cattle drive, Flying Eagle chooses to go with Rufus :
But does not spot any more cows.
Moses is happy to go without anyone who will have him, riding his new horse with some pride.
"Come now, girl," he says to the horse.
"If you say so.' He eyes you warily and waves you to follow. Making your way to the barn where Bill is with his niece. "Bill, Flying Eagle was it? wants to talk to you about something. He is a bit shut lip but after the other fella, I figured I would bring him to you"
Bill looks at you as if he is trying to decide if Flying Eagle was a puzzle to solve, or a snake to shoot. "Well, what do you need?' He says with a raised eyebrow
Moses manages to find a forth cow and bring it in with the others. It may not seem like much, but that is four extra cows for the herd. You get the feeling this may be a daily event. Chores and lost cow wrangling.
If you think showing my abilities to everyone would upset people even more, I will keep it a secret. But I have the ability to change into different animals, which could be useful for scouting or infiltrating an enemy camp. My other abilities do not have visible results, but I can make your men better shooters, protect them from harm, and make their weapons do more damage. These things I can do without giving myself away, I would just have to chant a bit and dance in place for a few seconds, and most white men would just take me to be a 'crazy Injun'.
And, I would *never* use my abilities to frighten or harm any of your animals, they are a part of nature, which I respect very much. I just worry about your mens' reactions, given Borak's poor start."
This being the most Flying Eagle has said at one time, he stops and waits for their questions/reactions.
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Lord Borak nods at Kristophe. "Having seen me do the impossible, you now no doubt wish to reap some glory for yourself. I will entreat the spirits to assist your search so that you may also be seen to be effective. It's the least I can do.
Of course, you must understand that the spirits will weigh and measure your inner heart. You must show yourself to be of stern stuff to accept their blessing."
Lord Borak again raises his hands and calls to the sky to show Kristophe the way to any remaining forlorn flock.
Lord Borak nods. "There. I have done all I can. The rest is up to you."
Knowing that a herd of cattle won't be messed with by a predator but a single cow on it own is easy pickings. Rodan keeps searching for strays.
But with still no luck.
"Well shoot Rufus, I am getting skunked here, I can't even find an acorn calf. You seem to have a nose of where to go. Where do ye think some might be hiding?"
Kris rolls his eyes at "Lord" Borak's melodramatics but doesn't say anything.
The man's crazier than a loon, but he's got a con going and that means there might be money at the end of it. Or a fight. Or both?
Well, I am not sure of the terrain around here, give me a moment to look over the land.
He then rides up on a knoll to look around.
I cannot see where they might be. I am draw'n a blank here as well. Shall we check somewhere else afore we go back to the barn?
Looking at the sun trying to figure out if they have enough time before it sets.
"Yes I reckon we have some time for a once more." As Rodan finds a blind canyon with hopes of finding some cattle.
"We better not, the sun will be down soon and I don't want to be out ridding at night."
And he starts to trot back to the ranch.
Unsure of what you are about, but unwilling to spend all day lollygagging about, Bill leads you into the house to say your peace. He seems more unsettled as you talk. "Another" He grunts and seems to weigh his words "You at lest seem to be more stable than Mr. Borak. I would keep those weird ..gifts, to yourself for the time. It might come in handy however lets not upset the hands needlessly." He dusts his hands off on his pants "Thank you for approaching this with more sense. I think we best get back to work"
You look all along your path, but find no other wayward cattle, even with Lord Boraks "Help" trying to encourage the spirits, sky or wishful thinking to help. You take your small gathering of cattle and make it back to the ranch just as supper is being ate, still a hot kettle waiting on you.
Well lets check in there shall we
I guess we should be getting these last few scrubs back to the herd.
Rufus takes a moment to dismount and stretch, allowing Abacus to rest a few minutes before they start pushing the few cows back to the herd
On the way back, while riding wide, Rodan and Rufus managed to snag two more cows. Kris however, by some odd series of happenstances finds three. Maybe it was wild luck or maybe, just maybe the mad man is on to something. He is sure to take the finding of three cows that way anyhow. By the time you manage to get your small herd to the rest, the other ranch hands are already chowing.
Some of the hands great you, most give lord Borak a wide berth as you make your way to the chow line. Madman, spawn of the devil or just a con, the hands are not keen to be to near the man. Owen greets you, along with Perry "Ah, Looks like you find a few lost doggies huh?"
Turning the cows into the field with the rest of them.
A few, but it does make for a long day
Rufus dismounts, and tends to Abacus.
Hoping that Devil Eyes finally settles down for me in the morning.
After tending to his horse, he washes up at the pump then goes in for chow.
"I would like to take credit for the found strays. But it was Rufus who has a nose for it."
Rodan says as he slides off Sandstone.
"It smells good, what's for chow?"
Rodan first takes care of his horse then gets cleaned up and stands inline for some grub.
Rodan, don't sell yourself short. Tomorrow it might be me getting skunked by the cows.
Holding his mess tin out for whatever food finds its way into the tin to eat.
Eh. Sure. Where's the hooch? Kris mutters as he digs in
Having a seat next to Moses.
"How did you do? Tomorrow if they send us out again, would you like to join Rufus and I? Maybe we should ask Flying Eagle. I hear Indians are good trackers. What do you think?" He says in between mouth fulls.
Moses nods to Rodan. "I think that would be good and would be happy to join you. Thank you for the invitation. Yes, I have heard the same thing about indians but didn't want to presumet too much."
Once he is settled with his food he continues speaking with Rodan.
"So what brings you out to these wild parts?"
"I'm afraid I am not much of a hunter or tracker. I was trained in...the historical traditions of my tribe."
Owen waves his hand "Whoever found em, you found nine, which isn't a bad number. He sops up some of the chili " What Kind of Injin can't track?
One of the men passes Kris a bottle and someone gets a fiddle out as the notes start to play a few of the hands turn in sore, other wander off to talk, drink of a hand of cards.
Track or not, an extra pair of eyes can never hurt
Rufus goes up for seconds on the meal.
Working like that always works up an appetite.
After dinner, Flying Eagle wanders off to do his daily rituals. After the reactions to Borak, he is even more on alert to being followed (anyone following please make a Stealth roll).
As Flying Eagle wanders off, no one really pays him much mind. Indians are weird and do weird things and they are Keeping an eye on the Crazy man, be he a Shyster or a tool of Satan remains to be seen, but he is a strange one.
The Night passes to the worn out men, it was a long day and hot meal or not you sleep solid with tired, worn bodies. The Morning comes far too soon and after a Hearty breakfast you are off to your chores. After your chores, you are once more sent to find lost cattle.
Rodan tries his hand in breaking a horse again. He climbs on to the saddle and the young stallion that threw him last time takes off with a leap.
But this time Rodan gets the better of the horse.
Seeking cattle :
He doesn't spot any cattle today.
Kris will mount up on Horse and go looking for cattle. He'll motion for "Lord" Borak to join him.
So, what's the game here? Rancher loaded? Kris asks
Once he is done with the horse. Rodan heads out with his small group to look for strays.
With a groan, Rufus goes out and looks at Devil Eyes
Today, should be the day
He catches her and then attempts to break her.
With a lot of whipsawing, and a few sunfishes, and a lot of bucking, he finally wears her out.
one more day of rest for you girl, then you work
He then goes out looking for lost cattle with any one who was delayed leaving the house
"See Rufus, you have a nose for finding them strays." Rodan slaps him on the back.
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Lord Borak nods at Kris and joins him on the hunt. He explains that since it would be greedy to continue to rein in all of the cattle without anyone helping, he will refrain, for now, and simply ask for assistance for Kris in his looking. Again he raises his hands to the everlasting sky and beseeches it to aid this poor, lost man in his attempt to find lost cattle.
As Kris finally, at last, finds some of the lost flock, Lord Borak nods wisely, secure in the knowledge that he alone is the reason for the day's abundance.
At Kris' question, he sighs, and says, sagely, "Imagine you are captain of a handsome boat. All the hands are loyal to you and have followed you through many heroic and rewarding adventures. And now you are in amidst a great fleet, an armada that sails though foreign waters. All the other ships are captained by men you know, men of talent, hard men that know their business and they run tight crews and sharp ships. Long have you campaigned with these captains and you know and respect each one, and they you.
Now you see that all of the ships have, somehow, sprung leaks. Great leaks. They take on water in strong amounts and the whole of the fleet is at risk. A sailor on your ship comes to you and says he has noticed the leaks, and he has found an easy way to stop them. You are grateful to the lad for saving your boat, and you want to shout this knowledge out to the other captains so they, too, can save their ships.
But they all laugh at you. You get as close as you can and you shout until you are horse, but all of them laugh and say 'What leaks? There are no leaks! We are all fine! Stop acting like a fool with too much wine!'
How would you feel?"
WIP
Horse Breaking
Roden gives it his all, but the horse Lord Borak "broke" is still skittish and puts up a fight. He tries it out but does not yet break the animal. Rufus soon follows with Devil eyes. The horse bucks and tries to throw him, but he wears it down and by mid day he has at long last broken the beast to his will
Opposed roll
Devil eyes
cDevil Eyes
Devil Eyes is a large, coal-black mare.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6 (A),
Spirit d8, Strength d12, Vigor d10
Skills: Athletics d8, Fighting d8, Notice d6,
Taunt d8
Pace: 10; Parry: 6; Toughness: 10
Edges: Brave, Fleet-Footed
Special Abilities:
Kick: Str+d4, to the front or rear as
desired.
Size 3: Devil Eyes weighs nearly 2,000
pounds.
Cattle Hunting
While Lord Borak, Flying Eagle and Roden have little luck finding wayward cows, Kris and Rufus make up for it finding three cows wandering in the brush. As you ride back with the steers, you pass through a cottonwood grove and see a number of desiccated cow
corpses.
A hairy black spider the size of a dog suddenly bursts from the ground! The repulsive critter latches onto one of your rescued steers. The animal screams piteously as it loses its footing and topples to its knees. A heartbeat later your steer breaks through the ground, dropping into a small pit. Out of the pit swarm hundreds of palm-size spiders,
flowing over the thrashing cow and out onto the surrounding ground.
I went in this order
Flying Eagle, Kris, Lord Borak, Moses, Roden, Rufus
the cards
This gives you Rufus, Flying Eagle, Moses,Lord Borak and Kris. with Roden going whenever they want and with a +2 to rolls
Flying Eagle pulls his weapon and fires at the big spider, hoping it's controlling the small ones :
Doing
AP=2
Taking the time to draw properly, Rufus takes a quick shot at the bigger spider.
But being startled by the eruption of spiders he misses the shot.
Shoot the cow, and lets come back with fire to burn this nest out.
He then tries to turn the cows to push them away from the spiders.
He will start off as first to go.
"Watch what yer doing folks, gun fire can scare them cattle to the hills. It be best to do this quietly."
Rodan jumps off his horse and pulls his knife to stab the over sized creepy crawly. Trying to stay away from the swarm.
The spiders do seem to be after the cows, you could leave the animals to their fate, And Moses thought about it but Flying Eagle and Rufus are already opening fire. Flying Eagle puts the dog sized Monster down hard. Cattle are in the pit, you might be able to save them if you are willing to take on the swarm or you might leave them to their fate. There is no way to get them out without going though that swarm of fist sized spiders.
Flying Eagle (Joker)
Kris (8c)
Roden (7h)
Moses(4c)
Rufus (5d)
Spiders (5c)
Lord Borak (2d)
= 5, Success
= 7, Success
Really off guard, Rufus yells out.
Lets push them through fast, and go collect them again
He fires a shot into the air, to try and get the cows moving faster.
Come on you buggers, RUN
=10
=9
Kris unslings his shotgun and holds it ready. He ain't gonna be the first to run, but he also ain't gonna get eaten by spiders protecting someone else's cattle.
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